The All-News-Herald girls track and field team features any Downriver-area athlete who earned a top-three finish at the local Metro Classic or qualified for the state championships.
ABIGAIL RUSSELL | Allen Park: One of the premier field athletes in recent Downriver area high school sports history fittingly finished on a high note this past spring season. Allen Park senior and University of Michigan signee Abigail Russell won the Division 1 state championship in discus throw for a third consecutive season while also taking home the title in shot put for the second time in three years. More locally, Russell was also the runaway champion in both of those events at the Metro Classic.
SUMMIT ACADEMY RELAYS: Much like Russell did, a group of Romulus Summit Academy North senior runners capped off their respective high school careers on top. At the D2 state finals, the team of Heaven Copeland, Anaiia Simmons, Londyn Hall, and Yasmine Priester worked together to win a pair of state titles in both the 4x100m and 4x200m relay races.
Additionally, these four Dragons competed elsewhere at states. Copeland went on to pick up all-state honors in both the 100m and 200m dashes. Simmons also earned all-state recognition in the 200m event as well while also competing alongside Hall, Priester, and sophomore Amyia Pettway in the 4x400m. Hall also ran in the 400m race at the state finals.
AVA TEED | Allen Park Cabrini: Another bright career coming to a close this past spring was that of Allen Park Cabrini Ava Teed. One of the more touted distance runners in the state, Teed earned top-three finishes in both the 1600m and 3200m races at the D4 finals. The senior then ran alongside a host of teammates in both the 4x400m and 4x800m relay races at states.
KAITLYN MOLNAR | Grosse Ile: Another field athlete who had a chance to defend a state title from a season ago was Grosse Ile's Kaitlyn Molnar. While she ultimately came up short of repeating as a state champion in long jump, Molnar did earn all-state honors with a four-place finish in that event at the D2 finals. Locally at the Metro, the senior from the island was the champion of the 300m hurdles and placed runner-up in long jump.
WOODHAVEN RUNNERS: It was another strong season and big step forward for a young up-and-coming Brownstown Woodhaven track team. Headlined by standout Myonna Ekanem, the Warriors emerged as one of the top squads in D1 throughout the season.
Ekanem was a three-time all-state relay runner after she collaborated with four different teammates at the D1 finals. The sophomore competed alongside senior Jayla Martin and junior Maya Justice to earn top-eight finishes in the 400m, 800m, and 1600m relay runs. That trio worked with junior Addison Martin in the 400m; freshman Chiamara Ogbonna in the 800m; and senior and Michigan State University signee Payton Scheffler to place seventh in the 1600m editions.
Scheffler was all-state as an individual by virtue of a sixth-place showing in the 800m at the state finals.
Ekanem was also among the top performers at the Metro, where she placed first in both the 100m and 200m. She then joined both Martin's and senior Precious Madison for first in the 4x100m before doing so again with Ogbonna, Madison, and Jayla Martin in the 4x200m.
Meanwhile at the Metro, several of these Woodhaven runners excelled as individuals elsewhere. Justice bested the aforementioned Molnar in the long jump event. Ogbonna was the champion of the 400m race. And Jayla Martin placed third in shot put.
JALISSA JOHNSON | River Rouge: Another multiple-time state-qualifier on the track scene this past season came in the form of River Rouge's Jalissa Johnson. The senior standout for the Panthers qualified for the D2 finals in three different events. She ultimately earned all-state honors alongside freshman Nylah Walker, sophomore Kayla Williams, and junior Cenae Smiley thanks to a fourth-place finish in the 4x100m.
Johnson, Walker, and Williams also earned a spot at states in the 4x200m relay along with teammate and sophomore L'nayah Harris.
ANIA TOBOY | Wyandotte Roosevelt: Although she often found herself runner-up to the aforementioned Abigail Russell, Roosevelt's Ania Toboy consistently proved to be one of the better pit throwers throughout her high school career. A three-sport athlete for the Bears, the senior finished off her time at Roosevelt earning all-state honors in shot put at the D1 finals while also placing second in both discus and shot put at the Metro.
GRACE KENDZIUK | Allen Park Cabrini: While Teed was the go-to long-distance runner for Cabrini, Grace Kendziuk was arguably the team's top short-distance option during the spring. Kendziuk competed at the D4 state finals in four different events, twice as an individual in both the 200m and 400m races. The junior also earned a third-place finish in the 800m event at the local Metro Classic.
MARISSA JOHNSON | Taylor High: One of the bigger breakout starts on the track scene locally came in the form of Taylor's Marissa Johnson. Appearing in six different events for the Griffins, the junior excelled most in the short-distance events, placing first in the 100m hurdles event at both the DRL Championships and Metro Classic, an event she later qualified for states in.
Elsewhere at the Metro, Johnson also placed third in the 200m event and collaborated with fellow juniors Jenna Stover and Imani Eugene and senior Iyanna Walker for the same finish in the 4x200m relay.
SOPHIA SMITH | Trenton: One of the area's top hurdles runners had another strong campaign this past season. Trenton's Sophia Smith earned top-three finishes in both the 100m and 300m hurdles races at the Metro Classic. The junior later parlayed those respective places to such finishes at both regionals and the Downriver League Championships. A runner-up placing in the 100m hurdles at regionals earned her a spot at states.
REAGAN HIGDON | Flat Rock: Another potential budding star on the track scene locally comes in the form of Flat Rock's Reagan Higdon. The sophomore sprinter for the Rams picked up top-three finishes at both regionals and the Huron League Championships, the former of such placings earned her a trip to the D2 state finals. She was also a fixture for the team's primary 4x200m relay team during the season.
RILEY KERR | Grosse Ile: Staying in the Huron League, Riley Kerr finished up her high school career on a high note. While she also moonlighted on the track scene for Grosse Ile, Kerr thrived most on the field side. The senior's mark of 5'-2 in high jump tied for the top spot at the annual Metro Classic back in early May. She later parlayed that into consecutive championships in that event at both regionals and the conference meet in the span of five days.
CABRINI RELAYS: Besides Teed and Kendziuk, Cabrini was well-represented on the track side of things at the D4 state finals. In fact, eight other different runners competed across the four relay events at states for the Monarchs.
Both Teed and Kendziuk teamed up with junior Ellie Heath and sophomore Abigail Gondek in the 4x400m event. Kendziuk also worked alongside Heath and a pair of freshmen in Yaretzi Jones and Shiloh Sohoza to run in the 4x200m. Teed then ran with Gondek, sophomore Madisyn Smith, and freshman Kassie Kozlo in the two-mile relay. And it was Jones, Heath, Sohoza, and freshman Alesza Pizzo partaking in the 400m relay.
Jones also dabbled on the field side of things at states too, competing in long jump.
KEOLA BOTTS | Flat Rock: When she wasn't delegating time as the starting goalkeeper on the school's varsity soccer team, Keola Botts was showing out in throwing pits on the track and field circuit. More prominent in discus throw, the junior for the Rams earned all-state honors in that event following a regional title and subsequent eighth-place finish at the D2 state championships.
KATHERINE FUGON-SARAVIA | Wyandotte Roosevelt: While they see Toboy graduate, Roosevelt should be able to fill that void with Katherine Fugon-Saravia in the mix. The junior for the Bears earned several top-five finishes in the throwing events throughout the spring. Among those were a third-place finish in discus throw at the Metro and a fourth-place finish in regionals that earned her a trip to states in D1.
SASHA MURPHY | Riverview Gabriel Richard: While the girls' roster was smaller in size compared to the boys' end at Richard, Sasha Murphy finished her high school career as one of the top throwers in the local area. The senior dabbled in both track and field events for the Pioneers, earning all-state honors after collecting top-three finishes in the 300m hurdles at both the Catholic League Championships and at regionals in D4.
AVERY TURK | New Boston Huron: Sticking in the 300m hurdles event, Avery Turk is a potential breakout candidate in the Downriver region over the next couple of seasons. The sophomore for Huron placed first or second in seven of her first 10 tries at the long-distance hurdles race this past spring season. Among those were consecutive runner-up finishes at both regionals and the Huron League meet before eventually competing at the state finals.
SPARROW CENTENO | Southgate Anderson: One the area's top long-distance runners closed out her high school career on a high note this past spring. Anderson's Sparrow Centeno earned a top-three finish in three different events at the Metro, most notably a victory in the 800m. The senior for the Titans placed first in that event in seven of her nine appearances. Elsewhere at the Metro, she along with a trio of freshmen -- Rylee Sturdahl, Mariah Crump, and Joanna Ruci -- placed third in the 4x400m relay.
And although she failed to qualify for states, Centeno set a new personal record with her performance at regionals.
ALLEN PARK POLE VAULTERS: There was a bit of a 'passing of the torch' in pole vault at Allen Park this past spring with Amelia Luecke and Lillian Murdoch. The pair of Jags finished 1-2 in that event at the Metro with the senior Luecke taking home first-place honors there and at the DRL Championships. Luecke was also a regular participant in the 4x200m and high jump for Allen Park. The sophomore Murdoch set a new personal best in pole vault at the league championships and regularly competed in long jump as well.
WOODHAVEN RELAYS: While their program had some strong horses in the short-distance track events, the Woodhaven program had no shortage of quality and capable runners in the longer events as well. That was on display at the Metro Classic when the team of Erin Sax, Joslyn Bechtol, Raelyn McLaughlin, and Elliana Perugi placed first in the 4x800m. It was nearly the same foursome placing runner-up in the mile relay as well with Jayelynn Hines replacing Perugi.
JADEN PIERCE | Allen Park: Another two-way standout athlete, Jaden Pierce showed her versatility throughout the entire spring season. Pierce at the Metro was the runner-up finisher in the 300m hurdles race and placed third in high jump. A D1 state qualifier in high jump a season prior, the junior for Allen Park competed in four different events at least six times this past campaign.
REAGAN REAUME | Gibraltar Carlson: A potential star in the two-mile run could be forming over at Carlson. Freshman Reagan Reaume on four different occasions finished runner-up in the 3200m event this past season, including at both the Metro and the DRL Championships. The rookie for the Marauders also regularly anchored the team's primary 4x800m relay.
REESE HASTINGS | Allen Park: One local runner who saw consistent action throughout the season was Allen Park's Reese Hastings. The junior for the Jags not only finished runner-up in the 400m at the Metro, she regularly anchored the team's 800m, 1600m, and 3200m relay teams. The longer of those three she collaborated with sophomore Cameron Maldonado, junior Anahi Chapa, and freshman Grace Granata to finish second in at the Metro.
MEGAN CAHALAN | Wyandotte Roosevelt: One can always count on Roosevelt being a constant threat locally in track events and Megan Cahalan was oftentimes at the center of the reason why. A third-place finisher in the 100m dash at the Metro, Cahalan competed in six different events throughout the high school season for the Bears and was a fixture on the team's 400m and 800m relay teams.
KEIRA WOOD | Riverview: What Cahalan was for Roosevelt is what Keira Wood served as for Riverview this past season. A runner-up finisher in the 800m at the Metro, Wood placed first or second in five of her six appearances in that event throughout the spring season. The senior for the Pirates was also consistently the final leg of the Bucs' 4x400m relay teams while also being the lead runner for their two-mile relay squads.
ELIZABETH HARRISON | Lincoln Park: Just a few seconds back of Wood in that 800m race at the Metro was her Lincoln Park counterpart Elizabeth Harrison. One of the Railsplitters' primary long-distance runners during the track and field season, the sophomore Harrison matched that third-place finish at the Metro later on in the campaign at the DRL Championships to wrap up the spring.
ELEANOR GRANT | Wyandotte Roosevelt: In the three seasons prior to this past spring, Roosevelt was home to one of the top long-distance runners in Samantha Cost in both cross country and track and field. Moving forward, look for Eleanor Grant to assume that role. The sophomore had the top times for the Bears in the 800m, 1600m, and 3200m races this past season. Most of her work came in the mile run, which she earned third place in at the Metro.
MARISA CHUEY | Trenton: Another potential breakout candidate in the mile and two-mile events come next season comes in the form of Trenton's Marisa Chuey. The bulk of the junior's workload in the spring came in the 3200m, an event that she tallied a third-place finish in at the Metro Classic. Ten days later, she won that event at the DRL Championships.
GROSSE ILE RELAYS: It is not a stretch to say that Grosse Ile will factor into boasting one of the best mile and two-mile relay teams over the next couple of seasons. A trio of sophomores -- Sophia Mihalko, Bailey Kerr, and Zoya Troeger -- along with junior Taylor Karasinski placed third in the 4x800m relay at the Metro. Those same four runners earned five other top-five finishes in that event throughout the season and were largely together for the mile relay run as well.
WILANA DANCY | Wyandotte Roosevelt: Look for Wilana Dancy to continue making strides in the hurdle races come next season for Roosevelt. The junior was the Bears' top runner in the hurdle events this past spring season, placing third in the 100m hurdles at the Metro Classic. That finish was one of eight top-five finishes for her in that event during the season.
LILLY DIAZ | Brownstown Woodhaven: Like the aforementioned Murdoch from Allen Park, another underclassman who will surely impact the pole vault scene locally is Woodhaven's Lilly Diaz. One of just two freshmen to compete in that event at the Metro, Diaz finished third there at the local meet. She eventually finished off her rookie season with an early personal best 7'-6 at the DRL Championships and subsequent league ninth grade meet.